Marine control apparatus



Aug. Z4, 1965 J. R. KOBELT v MARINE CONTROL APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6, 1965 C CE o wuSmE m52 Esca o INVENTOR JACK R. KosELT lMayp/.Q

baja!" Aug. 24, 1965 J. R. KoBELT MARINE CONTROL APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1963 /N VENTOR UACH R. KoBEL-r Aug. 24, 1965 J. R. KOBELT MARINE CONTROL APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 6, 1963 M: ....7 mcg.

/N VEA/TOR JACK R. KOBELT Aug. 24, 1965 J. R. KoBELT MARINE CONTROL APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 6, 1963 L/se JNVEN-ron JACK R. KosEur ay-fwn Aug 24, 1965 J. R. KOBELT 3,202,011

MARINE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNvENToR JACK R. KOBELT 5 kn/MM Y W g United States Patent OE EZQM l Patented Aug'. 2d, 1R55 3,202,011 MARINE CNTRL APPARATUS Jack R. Kobelt, 3236 Dumfries St., Vancouver 12,

ritish Columbia, Canada Filed May 6, 1963, Ser. No. 278,220 10 Claims. (El. 74-472) The invention relates to apparatus used to control, for example, a marine diesel installation with a marine reversing gear. The speed of the motor is controlled movement of a lever of a speed regulating device. Such reversing gears may be diiiicult to operate manually and, further, it is often desirable to be able to engage and disengage the gear from one or more positions remote from the motor as well as at the motor itself. For these and other reasons power assist devices have been developed. The present invention is particularly adapted for use with a power assist device in which the feel of manual engagement and disengagement is preserved.

The invention further provides control, suitably hydraulic, whereby initial motion of a single control lever at one of the said stations shall, according to whether it is moved forward or backwards from a central position, engage forward or reverse gear by means of such a power assist. This hydraulic control is such as to reflect the feel preserved or simulated by the power assist.

kIn the apparatus of the invention, continued movef ment of the control lever, forward or backward as the case may be, operates the lever of the speed regulating device. It is to be understood the initial motion of the lever aforesaid operates to engage the gear only, and that the speed regulating device remains at slow or idle until such engagement is accomplished. Speed is reduced, and the gear disengaged, by motion of the control lever in sequence opposite to that described above'.

- For a number of reasons, for example when operating y a winch or charging batteries, it is desirable to be able to control the speed of the motor, by means independent of the control above, while the gear is disengaged.

` The manner in which these and other provisions and objects of the invention are accomplished will be understood from the following description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation showing generally the elements comprising the invention,

`FIGURE 1A is a partly fragmented elevation of the power assist device,

FIGURE 1B is a small scale elevation showing diagrammatically the operative connections of the control apparatus of the invention to a marine power installation,

FiGURE 2 is a section on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1A,

FIGURE 3 is a section on line 3 3 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is an elevation ofthe straight portion of the plate cam of the power assist device,

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of FIGURE 4,

FIGURE 6 is a plan of the control assembly in the neutral position,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective View showing the central linkage positions corresponding to control level position A-S,

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic representation at enlarged scale of a section on line 3-3 of FIGURE 6,

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the speed regulating device with certain control linkage removed.

FIGURE lfshows the general disposition of the control apparatus and the various elements thereof. The numeral l0 indicates generally the double acting pneumaticcylinder of a power assist device. Referring to FEGURE 1A the said cylinder comprises the side-wall l1 and. theintegral end wall 12 central of which is the triangular web 13 containing the bolt hole i4. At the opposite end of the cylinder is the head 1S obviously bolted to the cylinder side-wall 1l by suitable means. Within said cylinder is the piston 16 having a piston rod 17. The cylinder head 15 contains the conventional gland 17A through which said piston rod passes. To the extremity of the piston rod 17 remote from the piston 16 is attached the clevis 18 containing an inner hole i9 and outer hole 20.

As best seen in FIGURE 3 upon the top of the outer periphery of the cylinder side wall 11 is formed the left housing 21 having a face 22, a right housing 23 is similar and has the face 24, said faces disposed so as to be opposite one another. A cylinder or plunger 25 protrudes slidably through a suitable opening in face 22, and said plunger is drilled and tapped to receive the square headed adjusting bolt 26, having locknut securing means 27. Similarly, a plunger 28, having an adjusting bolt 29 with locknut securing means 30, passes slidably through the opposing face 24 of the right hand housing 23. The plungers 25 and 28 of the left and right hand housings aforesaid are aligned, and are parallel to the axis of the piston rod 17.

As shown in FIGURE 1A only, at the left hand end of the cylinder adjacent the end wall 12 is the air entrance and discharge passage SiA, and a similar entrance and discharge passage 32A is provided adjacent the cylinder head 15 at the right hand end of the cylinder.

Within the left housing 2l is a conventional air valve not shown actuated by the plunger 25, see FIGURE 3, the plunger being shown in the closed position, in which position it is normally held by internal spring means, not shown. When said plunger is closed, passage SiA communicates directly to the air outside of the cylinder. The air valve is such that when plunger 25 is caused to move to the left, passage 31A no longer is connected to the outside air but is connected to a source of air under suitable pressure. Thus, when the plunger 25 is moved to the left to an open position, air under pressure enters the cylinder 10 via the passage 31A and urges the piston 16 to the right. Within the right hand housing 23 is a similar valve (also not shown), thus with the right hand plunger 28 moved to the open position air will enter the cylinder through passage 32A and, plunger 25 being in the closed position, the piston will move to the left, the air in front of the piston escaping freely through passage 31A. Air supply arrangements, and the valves, are according to common practice and therefore are not shown nor described in detail.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, a section on line 2 2 of FGURE lA, a boss 31 is formed upon a side of the outer periphery of the cylinder 10 upon which boss is swingingly mounted a lever generally indicated by the numeral 32.

Lever 32 comprises a lower vertic-al portion 33, a tongue portion 34 at right angles to 33, and a curved portion 3S suitably terminating in a knob 36.

FIGURE 3, shows particularly the position of the tongue 34 with respect to the valve actuating plungers 25 and 28, the lever 32 being in the vertical, or neutral, position of FIGURE 1A. bolts 26 and 29 are set so that there shall be small substantially equal clearances 37, 38 between the heads of said bolts and the cooperating tongue 34 when both valve actuating plungers are in the closed position. Referring now to FiGURE lA, if the lever 32 is moved forward in the direction of the arrow marked F, the piston 16 will move to the right relative to the cylinder, and moved in the direction of the arrow R, reverse, said piston will move to the left end of the cylinder.

ln FIGURE 1A, the numeral 39 indicates generally a plate cam having a straight portion 40, and a curved In this position the adjusting face 46AV has the central, depressionfindicated atV N.

the right of N', said upper surfacefslopes upwards as' the connecting pins aforesaid permit passing through the inner clevis hole 19 aforesaid;

FIGURES 4 and 5 show thel straight portion 40. of the plate cam 39 in elevation'andplan respectively,vsaid straight portion having .the shapedupper surface'40A, and the straight lower surfacej 40B. Shaped upper surshownat 42 to a'high Aatfll, thence downwards'as shown by the numeral 4410 the shoulder 45.v yThe portion of Y thecam upper surface 4'0A'to they left of N", indicated generally .by 46, is similar Vin shape to the rightlhand portion' described so that said lupper surface is symrnetIical either side `of"N'. v 1 Y V to ther cylinder, willralso movetoftheright so that one c-arn follower 54 (FIGURE'ZY-urged strongly against the carnsurface will-commence 'to travelY along the slope 42 increasing 'the resistance, so -thatthe lever 32 will have to bepulledmore strongly backwards. When the high 43 is passed', the -follower'is on the downward slope -44 having the opposite. effect, that is thel pull required will materially :decreaseand,' depending upon the steepness f of the slope 44-andV the strength of the spring 55 (FIG- UREKZ) will vrequire no furtherbackward'pull upon the lever 32 to complete Vthe engagement;

' Asthepiston approaches the end'of 4itsstrokeQthe cam distance between the ends of said boltslisindicate'd by the letter M, FIGUREVV 4, which, distance lisseen tolbe adjustable by means of the aforesaid bolts. Y l

As shown `in FIGURES 1A and 2,'on a Yside ofthe cylinder 10 are formedraised portions 58 Yand 58A having grooves 57, 57A, wherein is's'lidable the lower'V edge j;

` 'j open position causing motion in-the opposite direction.`

46B o f saidplate cam 39. y Y- Referring n'ow to fFIGURE 2,Y lever 32 is'drilled .at 53 to receive the .cylindricalcam follower plunger 54.' The position of 53 is such that said plunger, which is urged strongly'down'w'ardsrby the means 55', `Strshall cov In FIGURES 1A andV 3,'the line N :there shown repre-l said clam moves slidablyV in the grooves 57, 57A.

bo lt50 strikes the lever 32 automatically moving it towards ltheneutral position `cuttingoii` the Allow of `air through passage 32 and terminating the stroke inthe engaged position of theshift lever.

To disengagerev,er'se, 'the lever 32 isf-pushedV forward,

direction `F,. when :the plunger.A will be 'pressed to the As befor`e,"finitial resistance willincrease -as the cam follower now rises upon the slope 44"aud`,` after the high since .the elfectof the Asl''np'e 142 `willbe tourge thelever 32 forward', tending to 4holdpvalve plunger V25 in ,the open sents a planenormal to the axis of thevpistonrod 17.*

In 'FIGURES 1A and 3, the lever 32 is vertical, ile.A is inthe planeN and the piston 16 isV in stroke.v In this positionxthe plane Ncontainsthe Vline .N of`1EIG URES Zlfand 5.

Operation of the'power assist deviceis as follows,hav

ing reference toa marine reversing gear of -a common typefhaving a lever, herein referred to as the ,shift lever to distinguish fit from the lever 32,'motion .of whichshift lever forward engages the forward drive, Aand motion 'off The cylinder v10 is attached in any-convenientf/manner to the shift lever, Asuitablyby anl obvious link havingV a position@ As Hthe "low ipoint* N' is reached lever 32 will 'of Aitself regain the N positionfwith both valve plungers closed and the shift lever in neutral., Y

' The'actionrinengaginganddisengaging 'forward is as 35 labove'des'c'rjibed,' but with opposite motions.'

y i As Shown in FIGURE 4,V the high 4 3' is @entrai ofV the right hand portion of thefshaped upper cam surface 40A,

. and 40A 'is symmetrical eitherside of N.. Depending up- VIn a ycentral VQdeviceY tothe Ymarinev gear operatinglever is required tov connecting pin to engage hole 14 at ,the extreme left Vo fy 4be made al a Point lllhatzleve! Where the 'total 'travel my device, see`FIGURE 1A.Y The clevis 1S `is attached I to a iix'edvpartof the'marine installationy suitably by means of, a second connecting Vpin engaging outer c'levis hole 20 provided for that -pulpose It yislto be Lnoted'that .swinging Imotion about both'` points of attachment. 1 Attachmentto the shift lever is vat a point suchi that moved from forward through! neutral toreverse .corresponds to'slightly less ,lineal motionthan the full stroke` of the piston 16with respect to itsjcylinder.- The point of attachment'of the'piston .rod Vclevis 18f'is suchwthat,

shift -lever `being in"neutr`a.l, lever .32 is also -in Vthe YneutralV position 1Nl ,ofFIGURE 1A'.

It is seen that .-admissionfof air toieither side"oflthei 1 piston -will cause the cylinder toimove with respect ,to

the piston, itheY latter being.,stationarye-excepting for Y motion of translation ofv the cylinder; with'respectfto Y the stationaryf piston, the -shift Y lever is caused I to I move f r forwarder backward `as the case maybe:

y,on the particularmarinegearybeing controlled, 43 maybe either side of this centralpo's'iton, andthet-wo sides may or .may not ,be symmetrical. Y v. f Y

" Referring nowftoFIG. 4, it willbe seen that the maxi-` mumV distance iM, attained when 49 andtlares'eparated Vas far'as possible, isrequired to befsuch kthat the full useful z strokefo'fthe `pistonf16 maybe accomplished. "It will lalso. `now belseen v that the attachment vof the thereof between full engageforward and full engage reverse `is somewhatY less thanV the maximum value of M.

ThenV the bolts, 49 andy Y50 may proper separation. i Y Y l Asibest seen inFIGUREjli, the exact positionr of dis be nicelyadjusted to the engagementamay be 'adjustedby screwing vthe left -valve- V.plunger adjusting vb olt26 ,for, example, outwards, and

the arcuate .motion Vof'thatlpo'int as 4saidshiftv lever 'isf5'5'i vscrewing-'theright hand adjusting Vbolt. 29J5inwards a corresponding amount. Different;clearances37 and 38 will produce 'optimum action with diiferentfiinstallations, the

said' clearances are adjustable .ashas been explained.

Q -lIt will becappreeiat'edV by those familiar y'with-manually Y engaged marine reverse gears, that the initially. greater resistancefl'in moving 7the ,leveijfromneutral is :simulated Vivby-the resistance'gcaused bylythe slopes, such as 42,at

' either` `side o'ffneutral,` andV that"a;,substantially self-.em

i. VgagingY action towards the. .endf;of 'the .shi'ftlever motion (in-either. Vlirectionfmay be simulatediinmy powerfassist devicefi'... l l' 3 Somemanuallyfoperated marine reversing gears when Yfully .engaged-inether 'direction'will,after "1a strong initial 'pullrofthe operatinglever,substantially disengage themselves. This action' too, as has gbeenexplained, may

be attained'and the Vfeel simulated Vin the subject power through one end of the cylinder. As best seen in FIG- URE 7, a second similar cylinder 63 has the piston rod 64. The external ends of both piston rods are bolted to the cross member 65, formed on one end of the operating rod o6, which is rectangular in cross section. As seen in FIGURE 1, the hydraulic control device 67 is connected by the lines 68, 69 to the left and right hand ends, respectively, of the cylinder 6l. The manual control device 67 is operated by the lever 'ii the neutral central position of said lever is designated A. The force to urge the hydraulic fluid through the lines t0 operate the cylinder arises from the force applied to the lever. When the lever 7i? is moved to the right through the broken line positions A-ll, A-2, the piston rod 62, and the attached operating rod 66, will move to the right. When lever 7@ is moved from A-Z past neutral through A-3 to A-li, the operating rod will move to the left. A second similar hydraulic control device 7l having a control lever 72 is provided at a convenient location, and is connected to the cylinder '73 by the lines 74, 75. The piston rods 62, 64 being coupled by the cross member o5 (see FIGURE 7) both rods move together, hence movement of control lever 7d will cause corresponding movement of control lever '72 of the second hydraulic control device, or alternatively movement of the piston rods may be effected by control lever 72 in which case lever 70 will reproduce the movement of '72. The foregoing hydraulic arrangements are conventional.

` The operating rod 66 extends from the cross member 65 through a supporting member indicated generally lby the numeral 75, as shown in FIGURE l. As best seen in FIGURE 7 said supporting member has a base 76, a central web 77, and the spaced bracket 78 and 79, the top of bracket 78 adapted to form, with cap Si?, a rectangular aperture in which the rod 6e is slidable. The bracket 79, has a cap 8l similar to the cap 84) so that the rod 66 is slidable through the end brackets. Centrally between the two brackets the web 77 is drilled to receive a shaft 82A, which shaft is seen in FIGURE 8 only. Upon yeach end of said shaft is a bushing, one said bushing 83A appears in FIGURE 8 only. The shaft is rigidly secured in the web 77, the bushings are freely rotatable upon the shaft. The fork 84 and the crank arm 85 at right angles thereto form inner and outer legs, respectively, of a first bell crank mounted upon one said bushing, both arms of which are secured to the bushing to' rotate with it. The fork, arm and bushing assembly is retained upon the shaft by bolt and washer means 82, 8.3. To a similar bushing 83A on the opposite end of the shaft 82A are attached the fork-cam member 35 and the crank arm S7 to form inner and outer legs of a second bell crank. This assembly is secured to the shaft by bolt and washer means (not shown) similar to 82, S3, It is seen that rotation of 86, S7 is independent of rotation of the fork 84 and its arm S5.

FIGURE 1 shows the controls in the central, or neutral, position. In this position piston rods 62 and ed are in the middle of their range of motion; The cam operating rod 65k has rigidly attached to its upper side the block S9. The point of attachment of the block S9 to the rod e6 is such that in the neutral positionthe block is centered between the brackets 79, 89 immediately above the shaft 82A.

As seen in FIGURE 7, upon one end of said block is formed the cylindrical portion 90 for engagement with the fork 84, so that longitudinal. travel of the rod 66 causes rotation of the Vfork arm assembly S4, 8S.

As best shown in FIGURE 8, the fork-cam member has the parallel faces 91, 92 defining sides of a slot 93 to cooperate with the block 89, and the inclined faces, or ats, 94, 95. The forkcam member 86 is symmetrical about its centreline 96, the inclined faces 94;, 95, making an angle of some sixty degrees therewith. When the control lever 70 FIGURE l is moved to position A-3, rod 66 will move to the left so that the block S9 will move to FIGURE 8 broken line position 89-A-3. This will cause the fork-cam to rotate to the broken line position shown. If the motion of 89 continues to the left, as for example when control lever 70 is moved to A4, it is seen that the flat underside 97 of the block 89 will engage the fork-cam surface preventing further rotation of $6- but the fork arm assembly 34, 8S will continue to rotate. Thus motion of S is restricted to some thirty degrees either side of the centre line 96, notwithstanding control lever 70 is moved through its full range from A-Z to A-ll.

Connections to a typical marine power installation are shown diagrammatically at small scale in FIGURE 1B. Connections fromV the control apparatus indicated generally by the numeral 9 (in FIGURE 1 only) to an operating lever 167 (FIGURES 1 and 9) of a marine governor or other speed regulating device of a marine motor are as indicated. Connection of the power assist device 10 (FIGURE 1) to a lever'SZA operating the reversing gear are by any convenient linkage means, lt-A, secured to the power assist device as previously explained.

The arm 87 is adapted for attachment of obvious linkage 98, 99, lill), lili, 10.2, connected to the power assist operating lever 32 whereby the motion of the arm 87 is caused to actuate the power assist device 10, which in turn operates the marine reverse gear, as before described. It is to be understood that the said obvious linkage is such that the full movement of 86-87 either side of the centreline, some 30, corresponds to the full travel of the lever 32 either side of the neutral position. It is to be noted that the feel of gear engagement simulated and transmitted to the lever 32 by the plate cam 39 will appear as differences in resistances to the longitudinal motion of the operating rod 65, and in turn be transmitted through the incompressible hydraulic fluid to appear at the lever 70 of the hydraulic remote control device as that lever is moved to engage or disengage the reversing gear.

. Referring now to FIGURE 1, attached to the arm 85 is the spring link 1.04 comprising a hollow cylindrical part NS within which the rod part we is slidable for a restricted distance. Within the cylinder is a helical spring (not shown) whereby the rod part is urged outwards to the full extent of the relative motion of rod and cylinder. Thus the link 104 will decrease in overall length upon encountering sufcient resistance to overcome the action of the spring aforesaid. The extremity of the rod member lilo is attached to the top of the operating lever N7 of a Vmarine governor, or other speed regulating device, of conventional type, such as, for example, the Single Lever Variable Speed Governor manufactured by General Motors. The motion of the lever 197 controls the speed of the prime mover, shown in FIGURE 1B only.

In the solid line position of FIG-URE l, the governor operating lever is in the closed or slow position, and the rod member li of the spring link 16d is in about the middle of its range of motion with respect to the cylinder portion llti'.

When the control lever A of control 67 is moved to position A-ll, arm 85 moves to the broken line position S-A-l, 30 from' the neutral position of block 89. As before explained, this A30' motion rotates the fork cam 86 to the full extent of its range, being restrained from further motion by the locking action of the block member 91 upon the fork-cam flat 94. In position A-ll of the arm S5', spring link lila is fully extended, that is rod member 196, thereof is at the full extent of its koutward motion with respect to 165. lt is to be noted that the governor operating arm hasV no yet moved, but that the power assist device has caused reverse to be engaged. Continued motion of the control lever 7i) past A-l towards A-Z will move 35 from the A-l position towards the A4 position. As the spring link les. is fully extended at position A-ll, the movement towards A-Z will cause the governor operating lever lil? to rotate counter clockwise so increasing engine speed.

Thus, initial motion of control'lever 7% engages reverse,

sassari" or forward as 'the case may be, without moving the gov-;v f l ernor operating lever from the slow or idle position, while further motion of the control leverl 70 increases engine speed throughmotion ofthe governor operatingflever.

In FIGURE 1,'the independent'control device 10S hav-l 5 ing the control lever 109 is connectedby they lines 110,; 111 to the hydraulic cylinder 112 of which the rod '113,

is attached to the governor operating lever 107 Vby a slotted link 114, this provides independent speed controle Y i Y t lo as isexplained below.

TheV rodpart 106 Vis, as seen Vin FIGURE l', attached to theupper side to the governor operating lever 107, while the slotted link 114 is attached to the lower side thereof. j

FIGUREA 9 isa schematic plan View of the governor and the slotted link, the springr link104 removed. Slotted link 114 has a slot 115 the length Vof whiclrissutiicient to permit movement of thek lever 107 from Athe position shown to full open, the brokenline 116 indicates the centre line Vof lever 107 in the full openY position. i

The slotted link 114 is notl rigidly-attached toy thetrod on the base,a central Yvvebga shaft transversely through the web, journalledr at one* end 'of` the shaft a first bell crank-having `inner andV outer legs, a fork forming the inner leg of the first bell crank, journalled at the other endof VYtheshaft a second'bell crankhaving innerV and outer legs, a fork-'cam formingthe inner leg of the sec- 113, but is'obviously sormounted as to permit. a few degrees of rotation; in the plane of VFIGURE 9 ,fbetween rod and'link to permit fullmotionof 107 Without binding.

Lever 107 istprovided with spring'means indicated sche- ,l matically by the numeral 117, whereby said lever, iffree',A would return to the solid line idle or slow position. shown.

The independent governor-control operates as follows.y

In the solidV line FIGURE 1 position the rod member 106 is as previously explained, in about the middle of its range of motion withrespect Yto'the'cylinder portion 105 v ondbell crank, an operatingjrodV slidable longitudinally Vthrough the vspaced brackets,` a block attached to the operating rod which block is yadapted to engage both said inner legs to cause them to rotate as the said operating rod Vis moved in either direction, the forkcam adapted to lockagainst the block afterlimited motion'of the operatingV rod inY either dir ectionsothat continued motion of said rod shall further rotate'th'e saidfork only.

` T 3. As claimZ, the fork-cam member having parallel 1' line, the block4 adaptedto engage the slot portion for rotationand to engagek an outer face tov lockagainst furof the spring link 104.,"Thus, controlY lever 109 ismoved forward (counter clockwise) from 'the position shown,

the slotted link 114 (FIGURE 9') will cause'the governor j operatingV lever 107 to move towards the position 116Y and, in so doing, will `compress the spring link 104;

In the gear` engaged position, for example position A1 of FIGURELas explainedthe spring link 104 is fully, extended and the lever 107 has not thereby been 'moved` from the idle or slow position. Independent control may still be effected by motion of `thecontrol lever 108,- as i explained Vabove' the' spring -link54' willV again'rbfe comi pressed. t

In the full speed positionA-Z (or A-4)VV the governor;

the slotted link 114 to move'to'ther left, but this wiil'riot affect 107-which will Vrer'nainat'the position .indicatedV t operating lever'107 will have assumed position116 FIG-j URE 9.@ Motion of the independent lever 109 will cause:

byv 116. Remote hydraulic me ans,fs'u cli` as described,Vr are preferred to impart longitudinalmovement to the op-V z erating rod 66, and to actuate the independentY governor control linkage.

It is` to be Y understood however that these motionsfmay beY effectedinV other ways, such as for@ example cable andpulley meansytotaccomplish the objects and advantages of the'invention.Y Hydraulic fluid l' being incompressible, as Yexplainedthe hydraulicsystem preserves the feel of engagement anddisengagement.

Witlllcable means some Vofthe feel is lost from extensibility, andsome slackness or lost motion.

WhatIclaim is: i Y Y e 1. Control apparatus for amarine'installation having a motor, a lever` operated marinereversingggear; and :a

lever operated speed regulating device;V in combination with the foregoing, Y v I power Vassist device operativelyvconnected.to rthe (b.) a supporting member'having'a .irstandisecond Y bell crank each with an Vinner. and an outer leg, Ysaidv bell cranks mountedfor independentrrotation,means cooperating with one leg of each bell rcrankwh'ereb'y both bell.V cranksV are simultaneously rotatable faces dening sidesl ofk a slot symmetrical about a centre- 'ther rotation. l

f4; Apparatusas jclaimedl in. claim 1 1the power assist device comprising; 'aV double acting cylinder having a piston, la. piston' rodpassing through yonefend ofthe cylinder,la `va lve to control admission andexhaust of a fluid under pressure,fa'lever movement Vof-which actuates said Vvalve,:means to'attachthe piston rod to aixed external pointgplate 'cam-'means cooperating with said Vlever to provide varying resistance to the -motion thereof."v

' 5. Apparatus as claimed'in claim `4thevalve having ,aplungen the power assist lever having atong'ue adapted to cooperatewith said plungena grooveupon an external Lwall of theV cylinder, the cam Vhaving a surface slidable insaid' groove anda shaped surface, a ca m `follower on the power assist lever' and means to urge the follower. against the shaped s urface,"said.surface having a central depression, upon eachside ofgtheV depression' a; high, the

shaped surface ysloping away from each high.Y

6, Apparatus as claimed in claim1,they means operatively connecting said remaining legV ofgthe secondebell crank to the speed Yregulating device lever to comprise, a spring link Vadapted to move said lever upon rotation of the secondbell vcrank'through the vfurther arc aforesaid,

' the Ylever remaining stationaryy during rotation through*V the if said lirnited'arcl i member having aba'se, spaced brackets onthe base,la

7. "ApparatusV as claimedr'in claim 6, the supporting f central web, a shaftl transversely through the web, the

first V,bell crank beingjournalled .at oney end of theV transf verse shaft, the secondbell crank being journalled at the through a limited arc inreithersdirectionffrom a cen- "tral l'positionj the said kmeans locking l onel of the otherend ofl tlievshaft, a fork-.cam forming vthe inner leg of Athe second bell crank,ran operating rod. slidable longitudinallythrough the spaced bracket sthe lever operated v Y l Vremote control device operatively. connected to the oper- (a) a :power `assist device actuated4 by a lever, saidf 65A ating rod to.causelongitudinal movement thereof, ablock .attached-to the operating rod which block is adapted to engagebothsaid innerflegsftogcause ,themv to rotate as ineither directionso that continuedmotion of the rod shall furtherV rotatethe said fork Vonly'.

' .Y 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, said forkf'carn having parallels faces 4defining sidesfof al slot symmetrical about a centreline, 'and inclined iouter faces making any acute anglewith'thecentreline.

9. 'Apparatus as ,claimed 'in claim 8, and independently operable means to control the speed regulating device by moving the lever thereof, said independent means to com prise a link having a longitudinal slot cooperating with the speed regulating device lever, the slot adapted to permit free operation of the lever by the aforesaid second bell crank means, the before mentioned spring link adapted to permit the independent means to operate the speed regulating lever upon movement of the slotted link.

10, Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, the lever operated remote control device being hydraulic, to cooperate with a hydraulic cylinder operatively connected to the operating rod to cause longitudinal motion thereof.

No references cited.

DON A. WAITE, Primary Examiner. 

1. CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A MARINE INSTALLATION HAVING A MOTOR, A LEVER OPERATED MARINE REVERSING GEAR; AND A LEVER OPERATED SPEED REGULATING DEVICE; IN COMBINATION WITH THE FOREGOING, (A) A POWER ASSIST DEVICE ACTUATED BY A LEVER, SAID POWER ASSIST DEVICE OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE GEAR, (B) A SUPPORTING MEMBER HAVING A FIRST AND SECOND BELL CRANK EACH WITH AN INNER AND AN OUTER LEG, SAID BELL CRANKS MOUNTED FOR INDEPENDENT ROTATION, MEANS COOPERATING WITH ONE LEG OF EACH BELL CRANK WHEREBY BOTH BELL CRANKS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY ROTATABLE THROUGH A LIMITED ARC IN EITHER DIRECTION FROM A CENTRAL POSITION, THE SAID MEANS LOCKING ONE OF THE LEGS OF THE FIRST BELL CRANK AT THE EXTREMITY OF AN ARC AFORESAID WHILST CONTINUING TO ROTATE THE SECOND BELL CRANK THROUGH A FURTHER ARC, THE REMAINING LEG OF THE FIRST BELL CRANK, THE MOTION OF WHICH IS LIMITED, OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE POWER ASSIST LEVER, THE REMAINING LEG OF THE SECOND BELL CRANK OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE SPEED REGULATING DEVICE LEVER, (C) A REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE HAVING A LEVER AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE LEVER THEREOF TO THE BELL CRANKS, CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED SO THAT MOVEMENT OF THE SAID LEVER EFFECTS BELL CRANKS ROTATIONS AS AFORESAID. 